Cover for sliding-pole holes.



W. (I. SWEENEY.

GOVER FOR SLIDING POLE HOLES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 28, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

WILLIAM J. SWEENEY, OF SOUTH CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

COVER FOR SLIDING-POLE HOLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Application filed August 28, 1912. Serial N 0. 717,481.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. SWEENEY, citizen of the United States, residing at South Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Covers for Sliding-Pole Holes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention has for its object to provide covers for the descent holes in the floors of the sleeping quarters of firemen in fire department buildings and means for automatically raising the same when necessary to permit descent therethrough whereby accident may be avoided.

The invention consists in the features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating suitable embodiments of the invention: Figure 1- is a perspective view partly in section of a cover and means for automatically raising the same constructed in accord ance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view in elevation of a trip latch employed.

In all fire department houses openings are provided in the floors of the sleeping rooms through which the firemen may descend to the lower apparatus-containing floor on vertical poles extending centrally through said openings. The descent is thereby greatly accelerated but the said openings are a source of constant danger to the firemen and numerous accidents due to firemen falling through the same result from the fact that they are entirely unprotected at all times.

The object of my invention is, therefore, to provide covers for the saidholes which are normally retained over the same but which, when an alarm is sounded, may be tripped by the man on watch so that the firemen may readily descend therethrough when required.

The invention may be carried out in various ways, two of which I have illustrated in the accompanying drawings and which I will now proceed to describe.

As shown in Fig. 1 the cover 1 is provided with a descent hole through which the sli'dable pole 2 passes centrally and vertically. This pole usually consists of a polished brass tube. The said cover 1 is of somewhat greater diameter than the opening or hole which it is intended to cover and is provided centrally with a sleeve 3 through which the pole 2 passes. Said sleeve is preferably secured to the cover by means of the flange 4; thereof in a well-known manner.

Disposed within the pole or tube 2 is a counterweight 5 which is heavier than said cover 1 and is connected with the latter by means of the chains or cords 6, each of these flexible members 6 being secured at one end to the said cover 1 or flange 4 and trained over pulleys 8 rotatably mounted in a suitable manner upon the bracket 9 in the outer end portion of which the upper end of the tube or pole 2 is secured, said bracket being secured to the wall or post 10 contiguous tosaid opening. Normally the weight 5 maintains the cover raised to a position in which the upper edge of the sleeve 3 contacts with the lower face of the bracket 9. Secured at one end to said counterweight 5 is a cable auxiliary flexible member 11 which is trained over pulleys 12 and 13 secured to the ceiling and said wall or post 10 or other convenient support. The said cable is provided between its ends with a member 14 consisting of a rectangular strip of metal or the like having a longitudinal slot 15 therein in which the end portion of the sliding bolt 16 of a latch 17 is adapted to engage. Pivotally mounted on the wall or post 10 at its elbow portion is bell crank lever 18 having the free end of one of its arms connected by means of a link 19 with one end of said sliding bolt 16, the other arm of said lever 18 being connected with one end of a chain or cord 20 which is suitably passed over pulleys not shown and having its other end disposed contiguous to the telephone or alarm box and within reach of the night watchman. A spring 21 nor mally maintains said lever 18 at the limit of its movement whereby the sliding bolt 16 is ment or at least aids the weightof the cover 3 in over-balancing the counterweight thus permitting the cover 1 to rest along its peripheral edge portion upon the floor surrounding the descent hole.

of greater weight than said cover 1 will .obviously immediately raise the latter to :the upper limit ef its movement. In -:order :that the cover 1 may not rotate, the same is provided with a bifurcated projection 23 between the arms of which a cord 24 :is en- :gaged, the latter being vertically disposed and connected at one-end with the bracket 9 and at its'o'ther end with the floor and constituting a vertical guide for said projection 23. After the latch 16 has been :tripped :to release the member 14 from engagement therewith the :cover :may be again lowered by'drawing'up the weight5'by means of the cord 11 as will be obvious.

the latter being'caoh connected at oneend to the-lowerface ofthecover 25 contiguous to said slot 27 and-onvrespectively opposite sides of the latter, said: chainspassing under- 'neath the said projections 29 of saidl gates 28. The said flexible members 31 are secured at their I other ends to one end of a cord or cable 32. The latter passes'through an opening-33 -in the bracket 34 to which the upper'end of thepole 2 is secured and isrtrained over pulleys 35 and 36.rotatably mounted on said bracket and at its other end is secured to the counterweight-37 vertically movable within saidpole 2. The said;pole

2 passesbetween said chains 31, asshown, so thatwhen the cover is'thrown up itsouter end willp'assibackof thezpole 2 and leave the entire descent-opening :free. Attached atone end to said counterweight 37 is a cord 13y tripping the sliding bolt 16 to release the same from en-' gagement in the .slot 15*of the member the counterweight will be released and being or cable 38 trained over pulleys 39 and 40 rotatably mounted on said bracket 34 and which carries the member 41 similar to the member 14 and which is similarly provided with a slot in which a latch plunger 16 engages. The latter is connected with one arm of the bell-crank lever 42 pivotally secured at its elbow to the wall back of the descent opening and having its other arm connected with the chain 43 by means of which it is manually operated. The spring 44 normally holds said lever 42 in position to maintain the plunger 16 at the forward limit of its movementsanda .pin 45 limits the movement of said :lever 42 in -;a direction to withdraw the plunger 16 from engagement :in the slot in said member 41. The said lever 42 is operated :by the man on watch similarly to the lever 18 and upon ibeing so "operated to withdraw the plunger 16 from engagement with the member 4 1;the;counterweight 3.7 will obviously descend. Such descent movement will result ifirst :in opening the gates 28 so as ftO leave :the slot 27 free for the passage of the :pole 2 :therethrough as :the-cover 25 moves :pivotally from a horizontal to a verticahposition.

Preferably .means are provided for holding the cover 25 in its raised position, said means comprising the shaft 45 irotatably mounted in suitable bearingssecured to the wall and which carriestwo dogs 46,:the nose portions of aWlIlGh :are iIOllIldGd and are. disxposed 111513116 path of :the'outer edge portion of said cover 25 which when cominglincont-actPthereWith serve to raisesaid dogs. The latterare provided'with recesses 47 in which rsaidrend portion of :the cover 25iis-adapted.

to be received and held against return. movement in r a well-known rmanner. ."Rigidly secured to said shaft 45 at one end is a bell -crank:lever '48,.onearm of which is normally maintained in contact with the wall to ilimit *themovementofsaid shaft in.-one direction by means of the helical tension spring ;49

secured at one end'to :said walland at its other. end to the other arm; of said -lever 48.

-It will beinoted -that:the construct-ion Elastdescribed is somewhat more complex and OXPGIlSlVGtlllIi-thitt shown in 'Fig. -;1 but -is also efficient and serves'the purpose.

I-claim asJmy invention The combination with ,a hollow descent pole passing rthrough an opening in.- a fioor and having its upper. open end exposed, of acover :for said hole adapted=to reston the floor around the same-and slidabl yimounted 'onrthe pole, apairiof cables each secured at one end to said cover at diametrically-oppositexpoints: contiguous: to: themiddle thereof,

a bracket engaged with the upperend of the pole .and secured to a wall of the build- .-ing, ipulleys :mounted on :said bracket on diametrically opposite sides of the pole and over which said cables are trained, a counterweight heavier than said cover disposed within the pole and suspended from the other ends of said cables, a cable secured at one end to said Weight, pulleys over Which said last-named cable is trained, and trip mechanism disposed on the Wall contiguous to the opening for engaging said last-named 10 cable to support said Weight at an elevation to maintain the cover at the lower limit of its movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM J. SWVEENEY.

Witnesses:

M. M. BOYLE, R. W. LOTZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

